At the start of the Civil War Suffolk, Va was a small rural town at the head of the Nansemond River. Two railroads ran through its center the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad and the Seaboard (Portsmouth) and Roanoke (to Garysburg, NC near Weldon) Railroad.

Its main industries were agriculture and the manufacture of turpentine and tar. Most able-bodied men in the area enlisted in the Confederate Army, however, there were Confederate troops training in Suffolk from Georgia and South Carolina. On May 10, 1862, Union forces occupied Norfolk. The Confederates scuttled the famous ironclad the C.S.S. Virginia and evacuated the Gosport Navy Yard. Later that same day Confederate forces in Suffolk withdrew 20 miles west to Franklin on the Blackwater River where they would create the Blackwater Line of earthworks. The Blackwater Line stretched 50 miles from north of Zuni on the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad to the North Carolina border. On the 12th four companies of the First New York Mounted Rifles rode into Suffolk under the command of Colonel Charles Dodge. They returned a few days later to occupy the city. The Union stationed several regiments of infantry and cavalry in Suffolk commanded by General James Mansfield. Federals and Confederates established pickets in the no man’s land between Franklin, on the Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad and the Blackwater River, and Suffolk. The “no man’s land” is shown below. The area around the river was very swampy and there were only three bridges that crossed it- near Zuni (Broadwater Bridge), Franklin, and the Blackwater Bridge midway between the other two.

The Confederates along the Blackwater River and in Franklin, Virginia

There are several markers below that describe the role Franklin played in the war and the region.

The pontoon or floating bridge was located at the site shown below on the Blackwater River in Franklin- 36.6816833, -76.91711.

Skirmishes Between the Lines– the time period from when the Confederates retreated behind the Blackwater River between May 10-12, 1862 and the start of the “Siege of Suffolk” on April 11, 1863 was characterized by skirmishes in “no man’s land” where neither side gained a clear advantage and the Federals were unable to cross the line of the Blackwater River. The largest engagement during this period would be the Battle at the Deserted House or Kelly’s Store.

On May 30th 26 men of the 11th PA Cavalry were captured when they were sent toward the Blackwater River to investigate a rumor of an impending Rebel advance across the river. They discovered the rumor was false and were in the process of returning to Suffolk when they were ambushed and taken prisoner at Andrews Crossroads near Zuni. General Mansfield requested a transfer to a more active theater and General John J. Peck arrived on September 24th from Fort Monroe to assume command and immediately began to construct a series of fortifications around the city. Within a few months Suffolk was completely encircled by a series of forts, batteries and trenches.

Along the southern flank Fort Dix commanded the White Marsh or Edenton Road, Fort Union the field west of the road, Fort McClellan the Somerton Road, Fort Nansemond was at the southwest corner. The South Quay batteries were north of Fort Nansemond guarding the approach from Franklin and South Quay. Fort Rosecrans was at the northwest corner. Fort Corcoran guarded the drawbridge over the Nansemond River where the Providence Church Road from Windsor entered town from the north. Forts Jericho and Halleck were large redoubts guarding the eastern approaches from Portsmouth and Norfolk and the railroads.

There were many other skirmishes in the no-man’s land area (detailed below).

September 2-3- Expedition from Suffolk (page 4 OR Volume IXX, Chapter 30). Two companies of Dodge’s Cavalry under Major Wheelan cut off a company of recruits headed to Richmond and captured 2 officers, 65 soldiers, 28 wagons and carts, and 25 African Americans.

October 3- Skirmish on the Blackwater (pages 15-19 OR Volume IXX Chapter XXX). A combined Union infantry, cavalry and naval attack was dispatched to destroy the floating bridge over the Blackwater River at Franklin. Two Union deserters may have revealed the plan to the Confederates. Colonel Spear of the 11th PA Cavalry commanded about 1300 men including detachments from the 11th PA Cavalry, 96th NY, 103rd PA, 13th IN and six guns of Follett’s artillery. He arrived at the river, but the naval support was delayed and Spear withdrew between 3:30-4:00 PM after a 1-2 hour-long artillery duel with losses of 2 killed, 5 wounded and 1 missing. The gunboats faced heavy resistance trying to move up the Blackwater River. Colonel Marshall of the 52nd NC reported that the enemy steamed up the river with three boats (the USS Commodore Perry, Hunchback and Whitehead under Lieutenant Commander Charles W. Flusser). Two of the ships were small with two guns each and one large with four guns one of which was a 64-pounder. The ships made it past a group of sharpshooters at Crumpler’s Bluff but further upstream Colonel Ferebee’s 59th NC poured a heavy fire into the gunboats from both sides of the river forcing them to withdraw around 10:30 AM. Two Confederates were wounded including Private Stroup of the 52nd NC and Private Parker of the 59th NC. The marker below interprets the Battle of Franklin.

October 25- Skirmish near Zuni, Virginia (pages 19-20 OR Volume IXX Chapter XXX)- An expedition was sent to the Blackwater River to clear Rebels from the bank. The men swam the river and sent howitzers across in canoes. Lieutenant William Wheelan was killed. A rebel sergeant and 4 men from a Georgia Cavalry unit were captured. Below is a picture of the marker in Zuni from HMDB. I include it from that source since on my last trip through there the marker was missing.

October 31- Skirmish at Franklin, Virginia (page 20 OR Volume IXX Chapter XXX). This was a reconnaissance mission commanded by Colonel Spear. Follett’s battery fired 75 shells into the town. They learned that there were five regiments there, one at Ivor, and a force at Wakefield. General Longstreet may have been at Wakefield.

November 12-14- Skirmishes at Providence Church (12th) and Blackwater Bridge (14th) (page 31 OR Volume IXX Chapter XXX)- Colonel Claiborne with 300 men attacked the New York Mounted Rifles at the church and was repulsed. Colonel Dodge was sent out on a reconnaissance to retaliate. He moved through Windsor, Joyner’s Ford, and Zuni. They captured camp equipment and took two prisoners with five Federals wounded. The action at the Blackwater Bridge is interpreted at the marker below with views of the river in both directions at the bridge. The Blackwater Bridge is on the river about half way between Zuni and Franklin.

November 17- Affair near Carrsville (page 33 OR Volume IXX Chapter XXX). Union Major Wetherill with 150 men encountered 400 Rebel Cavalry. Casualties were not reported.

November 18- Skirmish at Franklin (page 33 OR Volume IXX Chapter XXX)- General Wessells scouted Franklin noting that the enemy was in force there with all the fords blocked and the roads into town closed. He shelled Rebel camps and the town. He lost a horse in the reconnaissance.

December 2- Skirmish on the Blackwater (pages 35-37 OR Volume IXX Chapter XXX). Hearing reports that the Rebels were setting up fortifications along the railroad 4 miles outside of Franklin Colonel Spears was ordered there with a force of 3,100 men including parts of the 39th IL, 62nd OH, 103rd NY, 6th MA, 103rd PA, as well as artillery and cavalry to destroy the works. They were met by 500 Confederate Cavalry and a rocket battery. The Rebels were driven back across the river with 10-12 killed and 30 captured including the Petersburg Rocket Battery. Forty-two rifles, 70 rockets and 14 horses were taken. The Federals learned that the Confederates had a new commander in General Roger A. Pryor.

December 8-12- Skirmishes from Suffolk to the Blackwater (pages 37-43 OR Volume IXX Chapter XXX). Skirmishes during this period were carried out as diversions in support of Major General Foster’s raid on the Weldon Railroad at Goldsboro, North Carolina as part of a memorandum of understanding between Generals Peck and Foster.

One of these raids is described in the Official Records by Captain J.H. Sykes of the 7th Confederate Cavalry (pages 43-45 OR Volume IXX Chapter XXX) and appears on the marker UT22. Captain Sykes was ordered on the 10th to proceed from Ivor (about half way between Zuni and Wakefield) to Joyner’s Ford (about 5 miles north of Franklin on the Blackwater River) by Colonel W.C. Claiborne. He arrived there at 1:00 AM on the 12th only to learn that a large enemy force was headed his way. At first light the Federals were in force for 200 yards above and below the ford. A fire fight ensued for the next hour with little effect. General Peck tried to force a crossing at the ford with two companies of cavalry followed by two companies of mounted infantry to no avail. The Federals next attempted a crossing above the ford where the river split with an island in the middle. Sykes moved his entire small force there to find the enemy had crossed one branch and were on the island. The Confederates drove them back across the river. During this time Peck was also crossing unimpeded over pontoon boats below the ford. Sykes moved his men on the double-quick toward the Joyner House 200 yards west of the ford but was cut off and surrounded by three companies of the 13th IN. Sykes had sustained wounds in the right shoulder and hand. He and his small band of men were taken prisoner. At the time of his capture he commanded less than 30 men.

December 22- Skirmishes near Windsor, and Joyner’s Ford (also described in the marker above (page 123 OR Volume IXX Chapter XXX). Lieutenant Colonel Stetzel of Spear’s Cavalry made a reconnaissance to the ford with four companies. A sharp skirmish ensued in which four Rebel pickets and a horse were captured.

December 28- Skirmishes near Suffolk and at the Providence Church (page 123 OR Volume IXX Chapter XXX). On the Windsor Road at the Providence Church the Confederates attacked Union vedettes driving them back toward town until reinforcements arrived driving the Rebels back several miles to their main body of about 300 cavalry. This is described on the marker below.

January 8-10, 1863- Expedition toward the Blackwater (pages 125-126 OR Volume IXX Chapter XXX). Colonel Samuel Spear left Suffolk on January 8th for the purpose of protecting General Ferry’s embarkation on the Chowan River 37 miles from Suffolk. He would command men from the 112th, 130th and 155th NY, 165 PA Militia and the 11th PA. Since the Confederates were camped near Barber’s Crossroads and no threat to General Ferry, Spear proceeded to Windsor where he learned that the Rebels were now back across the Blackwater. He did, however, obtain valuable information about the size of Pryor’s force which was estimated to be at least 6,000 infantry, 1500-2000 cavalry, and 16 pieces of artillery.

January 9, 1863- Skirmish near Providence Church (page 126-127 OR Volume IXX Chapter XXX). On the 9th according to General Peck the Rebels crossed the Blackwater River in considerable force and with infantry, cavalry and artillery attacked in the area of the Providence Church but were repulsed by Major Wheelan’s New York Mounted Rifles.

The Battle of the Deserted House or Kelly’s Store- January 30, 1863. From pages 132-144 OR Volume IXX Chapter XXX.

On January 25th Pryor crossed the Blackwater River on a foraging expedition and camped at Somerton. The next day he moved on to Holland’s Store (Holland’s Corner) where he was delayed for three days by bad weather. On the 29th Pryor went into camp for the night a half mile west of Kelly’s store, the Federals called it the Deserted House, about 8-9 miles northwest of Suffolk. He would have a total of 1800 men from the 50th, 54th, and 63rd VA, as well as Coit’s, Wright’s, Martin’s and Webb’s batteries. General Peck having receiving intelligence of the march ordered Captain Ward of the 11th PA to investigate the situation. Ward reported that the Confederates were moving toward the Deserted House with a force of about 2000 infantry, 500 cavalry and several guns. Peck sent a force of 4800 men under Brigadier General Michael Corcoran to engage them. It consisted of the 11th PA Cavalry, 13th IN, 6th MA, the 69th, 130th and 155th NY, 167 PA, 4th U.S. Artillery, and the 7th MA battery. At 1:00 AM on the 30th Corcoran left Suffolk. At 3:20 AM they encountered Confederate pickets, a group of 100 sharpshooters, about one mile from the Deserted House.

At 3:40 AM Union artillery opened fire and continued doing so until 6:00 AM. The Confederates returned fire with much greater effect because they had aimed their guns the previous day before sunset. The 167th PA lost all of its field officers. At 6:00 AM Colonel Spears moved his men forward led by the 13th IN on the right, and the 130th NY on the left, supported by the 11th PA Cavalry. The Rebels fell back behind a marsh. At this point Corcoran and Pryor’s after action reports are so different one might conclude they were describing a different battle. Corcoran states that after stopping to replenish his ammunition the Federals moved forward again from the area of the Deserted House around noon. As the Confederates continued to fall back a sharp skirmish occurred at Pecosin Creek between the 13th IN and the Confederate rear guard. The cavalry followed two miles beyond Carrsville before returning. The Federals returned to the Deserted House by 6:00 PM, ate dinner there, and all returned to Suffolk by midnight. The Federals reported capturing 13 prisoners. Their artillery expended 1,140 rounds of shot and shell. Confederate General Pryor states he was falling back because he received reports he was being flanked on the right. His forces then decisively beat back a Federal infantry and cavalry advance. Pryor then sent scouts forward who discovered the Federals had withdrawn. He contemplated a counterattack but his artillery were out of ammunition. He waited from 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM before he headed back toward Carrsville. At Kinsale Swamp Union Cavalry attacked his rear and were repulsed. Union casualties were 23 killed, 108 wounded and 12 missing. Confederate loses were 8 killed and 31 wounded. Pryor reported that Colonel Poage (a shell fragment struck his thigh tearing an artery and he bled to death), Captain Dobyns and Lieutenant Lacy of the 54th VA were killed. There is no interpretation of this battle. The battle took place in these fields- 36.7453486, -76.7290712.

In the wartime map below drawn for General Dix the Deserted House location is shown near the bottom to the left of center.

General Pryor reported that he came from Holland’s Store to the Deserted House on the direct road from Franklin to Suffolk and that he preferred an approach on the road from Kinsale Swamp. Holland’s Corner is at the lower left. He would have started east on Holland Road shown by the dashed red line (Route 58) then turned left on Buckhorn Drive (Route 610) to Buckhorn Station on the Railroad. He would then head toward modern day Indian Trail (Route 644) perhaps on the left arc. There is a red dot near the Deserted House near the top of the map just to the right of center. Brigadier General Corcoran’s report stated that he stopped for a short period to rest his men at the Nansemond County Poor House (red dot in the upper right corner). The dashed blue line shows a route that would have taken him by a Poor House on the modern-day Indian Trail.

The Deserted House is reported to be at a fork in the road. One road forks to the left perpendicular to the road that goes straight to Suffolk (Indian Trail continues on toward Suffolk). The battlefield map lists the name of the perpendicular road as Fork Road. There is no modern-day Fork Road. On Fork Road was a house owned by S. Simmons, interestingly there is a Simons Drive.

The house below on the northeast corner is not a wartime structure but it does sit on the site of the Deserted House. It appears that at some point the Deserted House became the Demolished House.

Union commander Brigadier General Michael Corcoran would not survive the year. While riding alone in Fairfax, Virginia, he was thrown from his horse and suffered a fractured skull. He died at the William Gunnell House on December 22, 1863.

Sources

Storm over Suffolk The Years 1861-1865 by Kermit Hobbs, Jr.

The War Hits Home by Brian Steel Wills

The many citations within the text to the OR- The Official Records of the War of the Rebellion.